Welcome to the illustrious reading page. Below are either links to books (to buy) or links to a public Google
Drive page (symbol: *) where a document can either be read online or downloaded.

Nonfiction: BooksThailand’s Political Historyby B.J. Terwiel
Dutch author who provides an interesting array of European sources to his scholarship. Debunks
many of the myths of Thai history.A Short History of Thailandby David WyattThe classic text of Thai history by the prophet of Thai studies.The Politics of Despotic Paternalismby Thak ChaloemtiaranaSarit Thanarat’s rise and profound influence on modern Thai politics.Seditious histories: contesting Thai and Southeast Asian pastsby Craig ReynoldsStudies in Thai Historyby David Wyatt
A collection of Wyatt’s writings. The real gem is his “The ‘Subtle Revolution’ of King Rama I of
Siam” where he discusses Rama I’s establishing of Buddhism as the legitimizing ideology of
kingship.Bangkok Foundby Alex Kerr
Traditional arts conservationist, Japanologist, and Bangkok resident takes a closer look at Thai art
and culture. “In short, nothing was as it seemed to be, all was evanescent, everything slipped
through my fingers,” he concludes, but after reading his book the reader is left still wanting to
grasp more.Bangkok Daysby Lawrence Osborne
Hilarious and insightful look at Bangkok as an asylum of lonely men from the West. Osbourne dares
to stare into the abyss.The End of Absolute Monarchy in Siamby Benjamin Batson
It’s a pity that this book is so difficult to find, because it speaks directly to the current political
climate in Thailand today. King Prajadhipok comes off as a democrat in the whirlwind of the
late 1920’s and 1930’s where Siam was struggling with worldwide economic problems,
nationalism in neighboring countries, and the specter of communism. Batson raids the national
archives in Thailand and takes a forensic approach scouring official correspondence of
Prajadhipok’s meeting with his princes, and the official cables of American and British reactions.
A fascinating work.Reading Bangkokby Ross King
King tries to make sense of the architecture and the physical space in Bangkok. He explores the
often contradictory messages conveyed in the syncretic approach of Thai epistemology.Truth on Trial in Thailandby David Streckfuss
A tome on the silencing of truth in Thailand. A banquet for legal scholars. The author traces how
Thailand has become “more absolutist, authoritarian, and restrictive in terms of what people can
say and write” since the abolition of absolute monarchy. Could use some editing for brevity
(what scholarly work doesn’t need it?).Thaksin by Pasuk Phongpaichit & Chris Baker
A forensic analysis of Thaksin’s rise and fall. Close discussion on Thakin’s relentless pursuit of more
wealth using the state. Highly recommended.Socially Engaged Buddhism by Sulak Sivaraksa (2005)
The only person in Thailand who can criticize the monarchy and get away with it is Sulak Sivaraksa,
probably because he is a royalist. A disciple of Buddhasasa, Sulak has made manifest Buddhasasa’s
wish to build an enlightened lay Buddhist culture in Thailand. This book is more of a talkative,
informal expose of Sulak’s thinking with interviews & eulogies of important Thai people. He is a big
proponent of living the simple Buddhist virtues and including all types of Thais from various
backgrounds in the national discourse.Buddhadasa by Peter Jackson (2003)
Buddhadasa was an extraordinary Thai monk of the 20th century and Peter Jackson breaks down
very complex ideas into a very readable book. Buddhadasa was equally at home as an ascetic or
scholar and independently took on centuries of traditional Therevada religious practice and
profoundly anti-clerical. One of my top three books about Thailand along with Batson’s End of
Absolute Monarchy and Thak’s book about Sarit.The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia by Donald SwearerSiam Mapped by Thongchai Winichakul

*Thailand: The Soteriological State in the 1970’s by Kristine Gray (1986) Took real discipline to get through this very dense dissertation reading it as a digital
document. A real shame that Gray doesn’t get the respect she deserves. A publisher refused to publish it after it was reviewed by a Thai reader who evidently had a heart attack absorbing its thesis. Gray discusses a lot in her work completed in 1986. She explores the monarchy, capital, and religious ritual. I contacted her and suggested she try getting an adapted version of this dissertation. As it stands she’s preoccupied with other things in her life now unfortunately.

The World on Fire, by Amy Chua
Globalization, democracy, and the backlash against market dominant minorities.*Necessary Illusions
by Noam Chomsky (1989) Based on the Massey Lectures, delivered in Canada in November 1988,
Necessary Illusions argues that, far from performing a watchdog role, the “free press” serves the
needs of those in power.
*What Uncle Sam Wantsby Noam Chomsky (1986-1991)